GT vs KKR: who will win in Gujarat and Kolkata today? Answer will be available here before the match

With a strong PowerPlay strategy, effective middle-overs play, and a batting line-up that boasts a remarkable 10 successful chases out of 11, Hardik Pandya and his team are set to begin their Home-Away fixture list on Sunday afternoon. The reigning champions will aim to emulate their title-winning form from last year by kickstarting the season with three consecutive victories. The absence of Kane Williamson is seamlessly filled by the prodigious Sai Sudarshan, making the team as formidable as ever and poised for another deep run in the tournament.

In contrast, the Knight Riders have been facing several challenges, especially with the season-ending injury to their regular captain Shreyas Iyer and the withdrawal of Shakib Al Hasan. Despite these setbacks, the team showed resilience in their recent match against the Royal Challengers Bangalore, with a backs-to-the-wall performance. Shardul Thakur led the team’s comeback with an impressive half-century before handing over the baton to Sunil Narine and Varun Chakravarthy to secure a win and get their first points on the board.

Despite their recent win, the Kolkata Knight Riders continue to face issues, particularly at the top of their batting order, with eight different opening combinations used in their last 16 games. Several players are struggling to find their form and confidence. However, Coach Chandrakant Pandit remains optimistic, knowing that despite being 89/5 in their last match, things could have been worse. The team looks ahead to their next game in Ahmedabad, hoping to build on their recent success and improve their performance.

When: Gujarat Titans vs Kolkata Knight Riders, IPL 2023, April 9, 15:30 IST

Where: Narendra Modi Stadium, Ahmedabad

What to expect: Ahmedabad is set to experience scorching temperatures, with mercury expected to soar up to 40 degrees Celsius this week. The afternoon game will be a challenge for both teams, and they will need to be well-prepared. Following the trusted doctrine, teams are likely to choose to chase in this game. However, there is some respite for the batting team from the harsh afternoon sun.

Probable XI: Shubman Gill, Wriddhiman Saha (wk), Sai Sudarshan, Hardik Pandya (c), David Miller, Rahul Tewatia, Rashid Khan, Alzarri Joseph, Mohammed Shami, Joshua Little, Yash Dayal
Substitutes: Shivam mavi,vijay Shankar,odean smith

Probable XI: Venkatesh Iyer, Rahmanullah Gurbaz (wk), Mandeep Singh/N Jagadeesan, Nitish Rana (c), Rinku Singh, Andre Russell, Shardul Thakur, Sunil Narine, Tim Southee, Umesh Yadav, Varun Chakravarthy
Substitutes : Lockie Ferguson Anukul Roy,vaibhav Arora

Here are some interesting IPL facts:

Hardik Pandya has a fantastic record against KKR, having scored 366 runs against them at an impressive average of 61 and a strike rate of 173.46. His highest IPL score of 91 also came against KKR.

In the history of IPL, Sunil Narine and Rashid Khan are the two most successful overseas spinners. They are the only foreign spinners to take 100+ wickets in the tournament, with Narine having taken 155 wickets and Rashid Khan taking 117.